West Bay women fight back

About 40 women, from teenagers to retirees, participated in a free self-defense class Saturday in the wake of a string of indecent assaults, purse snatchings and other attacks in West Bay district since October.

The West Bay women have decided it’s time to fight back.

“People feel like they can’t walk from their home,” said Eziethamae Bodden. “We’re supposed to be ‘fit Cayman’ and women can’t walk outside.”

Five attacks on women in the district have been reported since Oct. 1, 2016: an indecent assault on Feb. 1 on Conch Point Road; a knife attack on Jan. 10 in the Batabano area; a purse snatching on Powery Road on Jan. 12 following a struggle; and two indecent assaults reported on Oct. 1 and Oct. 15 – allegedly committed by the same suspect.

West Bay district council member Jeana Ebanks said she learned of other incidents through a local internet chat group “that were unreported” to the police. She said there were at least three other incidents during the November-December period.

“People just weren’t talking about it,” she said.

On Saturday afternoon, Shihan [master instructor] Floyd Baptiste instructed the group of women gathered at the Sir John A. Cumber Primary School football field on the proper way to deal initially with a would-be assailant.

Shihan Baptiste from the Purple Dragon School of Martial Arts demonstrated a number of techniques to deflect and divert would-be attackers, but cautioned the women that no method would prepare them for every situation.

“I don’t have a crystal ball to tell you ‘this is what the attacker will do and this is what you do,’” he said. “That’s not how it works in real life. You’re going to have to react to what he does.”

Among Shihan Baptiste’s audience on Saturday, a few had taken the self-defense education class before, including Gilda Moxam-Murray, who said she signed up for it after Estella Scott-Roberts was murdered in 2008.

“I go to Safehaven to walk where there’s a lot of people, so I do feel safe,” Ms. Moxam-Murray said. “But it is important to be educated [about self-defense] so you can be empowered.”

Ruby Ebanks-Dominguez readies to strike her would-be assailant during the training exercise under the watchful eye of Master Instructor Floyd Baptiste.

Continuing problem

The more recent attacks in West Bay mirror a series of incidents that occurred between mid-2015 and early 2016 in both West Bay and George Town, where a suspect set upon female joggers during the early morning hours. At least nine separate attacks on female joggers reported to police between May 2015 and February 2016.

All of the attacks have occurred either shortly before dawn or just after dawn, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said. The perpetrators are not always described as violent, but are typically aggressive, groping and grabbing the women.

4 COMMENTS

Good opportunity to bring people together, yet practical value of the event is zero. Self- defense starts with one’s state of mind. Dealing with fear class should have taken place before this practical session. But still, the organizers of the event must be praised.

P.S. The perpetrator(s) is laughing. At both, this event and RCIPS’s inability to catch him.

This was as much a promotional event for the martial arts school that taught this seminar as it was anything else; that is the way they do business.

What, of any practical value, could be taught about self-defense in 1 hour ?

There is a whole lot more to be considered in teaching effective, useful self-protection skills than just a few physical techniques; the mental side is much more important and should integrate with any physical skills imparted.

One bit of free advice for women who are out walking and being groped by this predator….you guys (girls actually) usually walk with your head-phones and music on to get and stay in your groove, thereby getting the best out of your exercise time. right ?

Suggestion….walk with your ears free of encumbrances so you can HEAR him (them) approaching…and carry a 3-ft stick with you…and find someone who can teach you to protect yourself with it…police officers are good resources because they are all trained in baton-use..and learn the laws on self-defense and use-of-force.

A proven and recommended program is a 10-week course, in which all the major areas are covered in 2-3 hour classes with pressure testing at the end of the course to graduate from it; we conducted such a course in 2005 and I was thoroughly amazed at the abilities learned in that period by the regular attendees and so were the officers of the RCIPS that did the ‘law and domestic violence’ portion of the course for us.

Of course, cost becomes an issue in an extended course but sponsors can be found in organizations that are community partners, for those attendees who might struggle to pay course fees.

The organisers and instructors deserve every credit for their efforts, however limited they might have been.